Ice hockey is one of the most popular team sports played in Canada and the USA. It is a fast-paced game that combines players of many sizes together on the rink with high skating speed and fast, furious action.
Hockey is known as a hard-hitting, collision sport. Players risk injury from high-impact collisions with each other, the rigid boards that mark the boundary of the playing surface, and the goal posts. Impact with a skate blade, long sticks, and pucks traveling more than 100 MPH also add to the risk.
Lacerations (cuts) to the head, scalp and face have been reduced by the use of helmets and face shields but sadly, more serious cuts still continue to cause physical trauma to players at all levels in minor and major league hockey, including ringette, recreational and pick-up hockey games and practices.
While newer protective equipment is lighter, stronger and offers more protection, it has also been modified to make hockey movement easier. In particular, hockey gloves are now shorter and expose players to more wrist and arms injuries than before. Likewise, there is no equipment to protect the underarms, sides of torso and armpits from serious cuts.
What is required is not only protection for the body parts susceptible to injury from skate blades, but protection that is lightweight, inexpensive and doesn't impede range of motion, particularly wrist and shoulder movement.